Evgeny Vinokurov could hardly believe his luck. In his first final of the popular dance show, the 35-year-old won the title straight away. Malika Dzumaev came third.
It was already approaching one o’clock in the morning and the three dancing couples on stage were still not relieved. They had made it to the final in this 19th and probably the most dance-filled season of the TV show “Let’s Dance” and had been waiting for what felt like an eternity for the rankings to be announced. The nerves were on edge.
A total of 14 celebrities had practiced Latin, standard and show dances week after week alongside professional dancers and after three intensive months, three remained. And there they stood with trembling knees – and two of the three professionals from Bremen: Malika Dzumaev and Evgeny Vinokurov.
3rd place for Dzumaev and Mattli
Professional dancer Malika Dzumaev and the Swiss athlete Joel Mattli (center) revived Elvis Presley in the final of “Let’s Dance”.
Dzumaev won the title for the first time two years ago alongside the singer Gabriel Kelly and with the Swiss athlete Joel Mattli there was now a chance for a second victory. But the audience vote was just not enough, Dzumaev came third.
That left Vinokurov, who danced alongside singer Anna-Carina Woitschack, and the French singer Milano. Things had never been tighter than in this final, it was said when Vinokurov finally heard his name and the golden shower of tinsel fluttered from the hall ceiling.
I thought: Is this really real? I still can’t believe it. I’ve never been to the final and now I’m about to win. I’m overjoyed that we did it.
(Bremer dance professional Evgeny Vinokurov)
“Best dance of the whole season”
The fiery Paso Doble by Evgeny Vinokurov and Anna-Carina Woitschack thrilled the audience and the jury alike.
Vinokurov and Woitschack received the highest possible score of 90 in their three final dances and were particularly praised by the jury under the strict Mr. Joachim Llambi: “Your Paso Doble was the best dance of the whole season.” And her freestyle performance, in which Woitschack danced her family history of puppeteers as marionettes, also moved the jury and the audience alike.
For several broadcasts, Woitschack had been the only remaining woman in the field of participants, had not let the hostility on social networks get her down and danced strong choreographies with Vinokurov that carried away the fans of the show.
Family addition at Vinokurovs in the middle of the season
Vinokurov, who, like Dzumaev, danced for the Bremen Grün-Gold-Club for years and lives in Bremen-Nord, had to overcome very special challenges this season. Because in the middle of it all there was a new addition to the family. Commuting every now and then between the training location in Cologne and Bremen St. Magnus was not easy. So he knew who to thank.
This season was very special for me because I had my third child, my second daughter, during the season. If anyone deserves a trophy, it’s my wife. What she managed and did for me alone with three children is crazy. First of all, I have her to thank for being in the final.
(Bremer dance professional Evgeny Vinokurov)
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“Everyone in the final is a winner”
Dzumaev also had an emotional season behind her, because almost exactly a year ago she suffered a severe herniated disc in her cervical vertebra and had to fear for her career. The 35-year-old Russian native was all the more grateful that she had fought back. The disappointment over narrowly missing out on a second title quickly subsided.
It was a super strong field this year. For me, everyone who made it to the final is a winner. I’m particularly happy for Evgeny, we’ve known each other forever and he deserves it.
(Bremen professional dancer Malika Dzumaev)
In the final, all three couples performed their best dance performances, and in the end the audience voting was the final deciding factor. And it wasn’t always the celebrities with the weakest dance performance who were eliminated during this season. But even the strict chief judge Llambi could live with this winning dance couple: “In terms of the overall performance, the audience voted correctly. Anna-Carina is a worthy winner.”
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